CAD and simulation system for targeting IC designs to multiple fabrication processes

摘要

Using the present invention, only a single design and development process needs to be conducted for ICs fabricated using a number of different fabrication processes. In one embodiment of this process, the IC is first designed on a CAD system using a generic Cell Based Architecture (CBA) library. This generic CBA library represents several libraries for different process technologies. The resulting generic design is then simulated and verified using best and worst case timing delays and other parameters which are derived from a combination of the various technologies. Hence, only one design need be created and simulated. Generic design rule and parasitic parameters are then used to optimize the placement and routing of the generic design. The post- layout generic design is then simulated and verified using performance characteristics determined by a combination of the technologies. The accepted, generic post-layout design is then ported for each intended fabrication process to create the mask patterns associated with each fabrication process.